404
by snakepit
Summary: There's a new program going around; an AI who was created to act near human. On a drunken night, Levi decides buying one might be the best idea he's ever had. Convincing himself that this boy isn't human is the hardest thing he'll ever do.


Authors Note:

I have been working on this for an extremely long time. I even started on this before the movie Her came out, but if you've seen it, I guess it's kind of like that? Kind of not really. You'll see I suppose.

If you're new to my writing then you should know that this chapter is just an intro. My first chapters are always much longer. n -n

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404  
An Ereri fic ; Rated M  
Adult content.

**Chapter 0: Introduction**

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**404: Error_**

**Loading page failed.**

**Restarting. . .**

**404: Error_**

"What a piece of junk, I can't believe I bought this." Levi drawled to himself. He folded his arms on his desk and laid his chin against his makeshift pillow of the blanket he had drug in from his bed. On his desk the packaging of his new toy was ripped nearly to shreds from Levi's eagerness to get the box open.

"Stupid thing." He spat out, watching the red text showing up on his computer screen again.

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"Got anywhere to be?"

Levi groaned something in the sound of 'no' at the voice speaking to him.

"Alright, canceling alarm program. Sleep well."

"Mm."

He inhaled deeply and nuzzled deeper into the crook of his arm and against his desk. It wasn't until he heard a strange beep did he finally flutter his eyelids open and scan the room for the source of the voice. Now that he began to think about it, the voice didn't even sound familiar.

"I'm sorry. I woke you, didn't I?"

Blue eyes slowly locked onto his computer screen—it was a pitch black. There was no way this _thing_ worked; but seconds later the black screen transitioned into what Levi thought was an image of a boy. Upon further inspection, Levi could see that this boy was _moving_ and even looking right at him.

"I turned on your screen saver so the light wouldn't interrupt your sleeping." The boy smiled, his green eyes closing from his rosy cheeks swelling with his grin.

"What the hell?" Levi breathed, kicking his chair out from behind him as he took two steps back. "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember?" The boy asked, flicking a piece of his brunet bangs back. "You bought me last night. I'm Program 404. I could hear you last night. You were confused as I figured. I just happen to be the 404th bot made. I'm sorry for confusing you."

Levi shook his head.

"You're not a bot though—you're a person!"

"That's what I was programed to be."

"Ahh." Levi groaned, shaking his head. It didn't make sense. This kid didn't look anything like the advertisements had shown. He didn't even look of age. This had to be some creepy set up. "How the hell old are you?"

"I don't have an age. How old would you like me to be?"

"_Wha_—forget it. What's your name?"

"Error. I was a malfunction. That's what they called me."

"Well that won't do." Levi retook his seat and curiously hunched closer to his screen. The word 'error' repeated over in his head until he finally re-lettered the word and made up his mind. "How about Eren?"

"Can you spell that?"

"E-R-E-N." Levi said. "Close to Error, but much better I think."

"Eren." The bot repeated. He smiled and nodded. "I like that."

"Good. That's good. So… how does this work, exactly?"

"I was made to be your personal friend. I am what you want me to be." Levi recognized the logo of the program as Eren explained. He swiped his finger across Levi's screen and a menu popped up to the left of Eren; he began reading them off. "You may: customize my appearance and personality. You can change my language—I know all of them. You may ask me anything. I know every answer to every question. You can rename me at any time. I have already added my new name to the data."

"A full name though." Levi interrupted, a bit overwhelmed with Eren's monotone speaking. "Wouldn't you like a full name?"

"Hmm," Eren's emerald eyes looked up curiously. They finally met with Levi's again. "Yes. I would."

"Got any suggestions?"

"Loading all last names in data base—"

"Woah, no!" Levi stopped him. Eren's hand froze instantly from opening another menu. "How about we just make you one? You and I?"

"What about your last name?"

Levi's face flushed. He quickly brushed it off.

"How about we get you one of your own—so you can be your own person?"

Levi glanced around the room. A bottle of Jaeger sat on his desk from last night; the whole reason he had bought this program. He mentally disagreed with that. He couldn't name the kid after a bottle of booze. He skimmed the rest of his desk; duct tape, pencils, a note pad…

"How about Jaeger?" He spat out, quickly grown tired of pondering.

"Eren Jaeger."

"It _does_ have a ring to it."

"I like it." Eren genuinely smiled; at least Levi hoped so. "So will you fill out my personality now?"

"Don't you have your own?"

"No."

Levi grumbled and shifted in his seat.

"Sure, give me the menu." He sighed.

"Okay. Fill out your personality in this menu. It will make us compatible."

"Compatible?"

"Yes."

"That's a strange way to put it."

"I learn from you."

Levi glanced from the menu and back to the boy. He glared at Eren for the longest time, not even bothering to read the words scrolling past him. He could only peer into the eyes of something not human—just a bot. He wondered if Eren was even breathing, if he needed food, oxygen; was this some kind of sick torture to make a kid sit in a room and pretend to be a bot? There's no way this boy was an AI.

"You're staring."

As Levi observed the flustered expression and blush on Eren's face; he knew there was no way. There's no way this boy wasn't human.


End file.
